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Algebra Difficulty 4.9 AIME Find the answer

Compute, in terms of nn, k=0n(nkk)2k\sum_{k=0}^{n}\binom{n-k}{k} 2^{k}.

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

Let Tn=k=0n(nkk)2kT_{n}=\sum_{k=0}^{n}\binom{n-k}{k} 2^{k}. From Pascal's recursion for binomial coefficients, we can find Tn=2Tn2+Tn1T_{n}=2 T_{n-2}+T_{n-1}, with T0=1T_{0}=1 and T1=1T_{1}=1. The characteristic polynomial of this recursion is x2x2=0x^{2}-x-2=0, which has roots 2 and -1. Thus Tn=a2n+b(1)nT_{n}=a \cdot 2^{n}+b \cdot(-1)^{n} for some aa and bb. From the initial conditions we have a+b=1a+b=1 and 2ab=12 a-b=1. It follows that a=2/3a=2 / 3 and b=1/3b=1 / 3, from which the conclusion follows.

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